Symantec to Microsoft "We Knew It Wasn’t Our Problem"

When I reported that Windows XP Service Pack 3 was causing even more problems the newest problem had not been under investigation long enough to assure anyone whose problem it really was. That time is over, and it appears those who have had this problem could have been spared lots of grief. Why? Because the problem was reported as early as Service Pack 2.

What? Yes, the problem that is causing the corruption of the registry (the bane of many support personnel’s existence) has reared its ugly head from the time of Service Pack 2. Apparently, the same problem was occurring back then, but not in as great numbers.

Two Microsoft support documents — KB893249 and KB914450 — both describe a problem remarkably similar to what users have reported recently. “After you install Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) on a Windows XP-based computer, the Device Manager window is blank or some devices no longer appear,” reads KB893249.

“Well isn’t THAT special!”, he says in his best church lady voice. “Could it be…Satan, causing the problem?” No, it’s just those crazy guys at Microsoft again, trying to get our attention (or possibly, money for Vista upgrades).

The problem is further described in the Computerworld article as something that the wild and crazy guys at Microsoft knew about this time around (during the testing of Service Pack 3) since way back in December of last year. Strangely, nothing seems to have been done about it!

Were they too busy calculating their profit sharing? Drinking so much Jolt that it’s giving them memory lapses? Could it be that this company, that knows it practically owns all working computers, that can be lifted by one man, and so they have gotten lazy, complacent, and stupid? Yes, I think that is it.

Once again, while the Microsoft help desk is blaming Symantec (the company is a good target, after all), the thousands fewer employees at Symantec were actually finding out what the problem was, and how it was caused.

The people at Symantec were able to diagnose the problem, explain the errant files that cause it, and are currently working on a repair for it. (according to the article, it is a work done hand-in-hand with Microsoft, so don’t expect the announcement to come from Symantec – Microsoft will probably be paying Symantec millions of dollars to shut up about this, so the story at CW may be the only one you see.) Read it while you can.

Who says the best cover-ups always appear in the government? Dance, monkeyboy, dance…while the music still plays.

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Quote of the day: Truth is beautiful, without doubt; but so are lies. – Ralph Waldo Emerson